


𝕭𝖆𝖉 𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖕𝖆𝖓𝖞 - 𝕾𝖚𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖓𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖆𝖑 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖓/𝕺𝕮

by PuddyGeeks



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Daddy Issues, F/M, Parent Death, Swearing, Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24461458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuddyGeeks/pseuds/PuddyGeeks
Summary: **ON HIATUS**Wʜᴇɴ ᴀɴ ᴏʀᴅɪɴᴀʀʏ ᴊᴏʙ ʟᴇᴀᴅs ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴғᴀᴍᴏᴜs Wɪɴᴄʜᴇsᴛᴇʀ's, Fᴀʏᴇ ɪs ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴғʀᴏɴᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs ɪᴛ ʟᴇғᴛ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴍᴇɴ ᴡʜᴏsᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇs sʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ.
Relationships: Bobby Singer & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s), Dean Winchester/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. 𝕮𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗

**Author's Note:**

> I needed a project to give me a creative break from We Come Running, so thought I’d delve into Supernatural. This will not have a posting schedule, as I don’t need another thing to stress over! But I’ll update whenever I need to write outside of The 100 Universe. I don’t have a huge plan for this fic, but I can say that it will not be a full rewrite of the show that includes every episode like my other works. It will dip in and out of the Supernatural storylines whenever I feel she has something to contribute. I hope you enjoy this new style of writing that I’m trying <3

Cover


	2. 𝕭𝖆𝖉 𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖕𝖆𝖓𝖞

♫♪.ılılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılılı.♫♪

𝔽𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕠𝕥𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕡𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕠𝕗 ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤, 𝔽𝕒𝕪𝕖❜𝕤 𝕦𝕡𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕘

𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕠𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕖𝕘𝕒𝕔𝕪. 𝕊𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙, 𝕤𝕙𝕖

𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜 𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕒 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣❜𝕤

𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕕. 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕒𝕝

𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕪𝕤, 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖

𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕒𝕝𝕤. 𝔽𝕒𝕪𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕠𝕟

𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝔻𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟 𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙

𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒 𝕙𝕒𝕓𝕚𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕔𝕒𝕟❜𝕥 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕥.

𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽

Kᴀᴛʏ Pᴇʀʀʏ ᴀs

𝑭𝒂𝒚𝒆 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅

  
  


Jᴇɴsᴇɴ Aᴄᴋʟᴇs ᴀs

𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓

  
Jᴀʀᴇᴅ Pᴀᴅᴀʟᴇᴄᴋɪ ᴀs

𝑆𝑎𝑚 𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟

Jɪᴍ Bᴇᴀᴠᴇʀ ᴀs

𝑩𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓

♫♪.ılılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılılı.♫♪


	3. 𝕻𝖑𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙

Fᴀʏᴇ's Sᴏɴɢ: 𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑘 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑊𝑎𝑦 -Rᴜɴ-D.M.C., Aᴇʀᴏsᴍɪᴛʜ

  
♫♪.ılılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılılı.♫♪  
  


_1\. Carry On Wayward Son_

**_Kansas_ **  
  
  


2\. 𝐵𝑎𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑦 - 2015 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟

Bᴀᴅ Cᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ  
  
  


3\. 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑌𝑜𝑢

Pᴏɪsᴏɴ  
  
  


4\. 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝐶𝑖𝑡𝑦

Gᴜɴs N'Rᴏsᴇs  
  
  


5\. 𝐺𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠, 𝐺𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠, 𝐺𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠

Mᴏᴛʟᴇʏ Cʀᴜ̈ᴇ  
  
  


6\. 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑆𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝑂𝑛 𝑀𝑒

Dᴇғ Lᴇᴘᴘᴀʀᴅ  
  
  


7\. 𝑈𝑚𝑎 𝑇ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛

Fᴀʟʟ Oᴜᴛ Bᴏʏ  
  
  


8\. 𝐼 𝐻𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑌𝑜𝑢

Jᴏᴀɴ Jᴇᴛᴛ & Tʜᴇ Bʟᴀᴄᴋʜᴇᴀʀᴛs  
  
  


9\. 𝐶𝑜𝑤𝑏𝑜𝑦

Kɪᴅ Rᴏᴄᴋ  
  
  


10\. 𝑈𝑛𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒

ᴇᴍғ  
  
  


11\. 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑇𝑜 𝐷𝑜 𝐼𝑠 𝐷𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

Dᴏɴ Hᴇᴀᴅʟᴇʏ  
  
  


12\. 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝐶𝑟𝑎𝑧𝑦 - 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 2011

Qᴜᴇᴇɴ

****

♫♪.ılılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılılı.♫♪


	4. ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔈𝔫𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰

I stared back at my reflection in the cheap motel mirror with a strong feeling of unease. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I adjusted the blonde wig into place so that none of my natural hair was visible and checked that my makeup adequately covered the small holes that remained in my face once my piercings were removed. The black suit jacket slid easily over my shoulders and I stepped into my neat black court shoes with a wobble. I seized the worn holdall containing my ordinary clothes with attitude and stomped out to the car. The blaring sound of my trusty playlist filled the clunky old jeep and I felt myself gradually relaxing over the course of my journey to the local police station. 

This part of hunting had always grated on me. Over the years, I’d learned to embrace the lifestyle of living on the outskirts of society and enjoyed the simple pleasures of expressing myself however I wished. I wasn’t limited by the same restrictions as everyone else, I didn’t have to conform to office dress codes or feel the social pressure to dress my age. It was only when I needed to pass as law enforcement to gather information that I had to force myself into a characterless uniform and stiff appearance. Everytime that this was necessary, I felt like I stripped away all of the benefits of the hunter lifestyle and instead was left feeling like an outsider as I tried to fit into the regular world.

I parked around the corner from the station and made one last check of my appearance to ensure that nothing suspiciously unprofessional was on show. Before stepping out of the vehicle, I took a deep breath and forced myself into the facade that always gained me access to anything that I wanted. I strutted into the station with an unnecessary sway to my hips that I knew were well displayed in the pencil skirt that I wore and felt my stomach churn at the sickening manner in which the officers in the room watched me pass. It was worryingly simple to flirt my way past the first officer at the desk and into the captain's office. I didn’t even show my badge, all it took was a charming smile over the top of my horn rimmed glasses and a lingering sweep of hair behind my ear. 

The Captain was a middle aged man who at least remembered to ask me for ID before he eagerly spilled the details of the strange case. He roughly commented that I seemed very young to be working alone, FBI agent or not and I smiled through my discomfort as I grilled him for the information that I sorely needed. 

I was smoothly exiting the office in a determined march for my car and sorely needed change of clothes, when the Captain called out to announce the arrival of another couple of agents. My stomach flipped with nerves as I rolled my eyes and made an offhand comment about poor organisation at the bureau. It wasn’t the first time that I’d bumped into actual feds on a job. As a matter of fact, I’d learned early on that it was one of the many risks of investigation, but every time that I had to improvise my way out of their scrutiny left me feeling drained. 

I allowed the Captain to lead me outside the front of the station with a forced air of calm whilst I mentally rehearsed the lines that I had prepared for this situation. I hoped that I wouldn’t have to call in another favour; every time that I needed to give a number for real investigators to call to confirm my identity cost me another night of stroking a hunter colleagues ego.

My nerves dissolved into amusement as we neared two obnoxiously tall men in black suits that I recognised immediately. One of them had shoulder length, chestnut brown hair and kind eyes that twinkled as he fixed me with a warm smile. He was clearly younger than me and there was something in his posture that indicated a calm nature that was beyond his years. The other smoothly slid off his sunglasses with a brow cocked in interest as his gaze roamed my figure before landing on my face. He had shorter brunette hair and mischievous eyes that seemed to challenge me as they met mine. He had chiseled, handsome features and broad shoulders that hinted at a muscular physique hidden away beneath the suit jacket. There was no doubting that they were both attractive, but were absolutely not federal agents and everything about them screamed trouble. The Captain asked whether a little lady like me would need help arguing with two such large men over jurisdiction, but I convinced him to leave us with a polite smile and a falsely flattered giggle.

“Good to meet you. I’m Agent Stark, this is Agent Banner. We’re from the Atlanta Bureau. Could you bring us up to speed on any case details that you’ve been given?” The flirtatious man that I had easily recognised to be Dean Winchester spoke first, introducing the two of them as they both briefly held up their fake ID’s and I peeked between them with my brows raised. I’d heard descriptions of these men more times than I could count but they didn’t do justice to the hulking reality that stood before me. It wasn’t unusual for men to tower over me; at 5’4 I wasn’t exactly tall. However, I was surprised to find that the impending attitude they were often characterised as displaying seemed to be absent and I wasn’t remotely intimidated by them. 

“Stark and Banner?” I repeated as I surveyed Dean with amusement and he furrowed his brows together in confusion. I wondered if they’d ever been doubted before from the obvious shock in their body language and couldn’t help sensing an opportunity to seize the upper hand with the infamous hunters. “That’s really what you’re going with?” I drawled as I smiled smugly at them and noticed that they subtly glanced between them with concern. “I thought the Winchester’s would be better at this.” I teased as they visibly stiffened and stared at each other in alarm. I revelled in the knowledge that I’d caught them off guard as I crossed my arms and waited for them to formulate a response.

“You’re a hunter?” Sam breathed in a tone that was more of a statement than a question. He scanned me in an analytical manner and I quickly understood that he was the more logical of the two. I stretched out the silence as I prepared my answer and enjoyed watching Dean squirm nervously as he considered that Sam might have made an error in judgement. 

“Yes I am.” I confirmed firmly and caught sight of a slight sag in Dean’s shoulders. It occurred to me that he was the protector of the two and I stored this information in the back of my mind for future use. “And this is my job. I’ll handle this case from here, so you two can feel free to move on.” I revealed with a disinterested shrug as I held my ground. Confusion flitted across both of their faces at almost the exact same time and I was struck with the impression that they weren’t used to hearing women say no very often. 

“Well, hold on a second. We’re all here, we might as well help you out.” Dean suggested in a manner that tried to be helpful but mostly sounded condescending and I cocked a brow at him. Sam studied me closely as my face grew stern but Dean seemed to be completely unaware of his effect on me. 

“I can handle myself just fine,  _ thank you _ . Besides, witches tend to fight much harder against men anyway, you’ll only spur them on.” I crooned as I started to wander toward my car in an effort to end the undesirable conversation and rolled my eyes when they followed with a shared look of concern. “Not every girl is a damsel in distress you know. I’m sure there’s plenty of other jobs you could pursue with girls who will be awaiting your rescue. I work better alone.” I clarified with an annoyed expression as I increased my pace to suggest that I wanted to be left alone. Dean caught my wrist to pause me in place and I whipped around on the spot to view him with suspicion.

“Hey, I don’t know what your problem is but we’re offering to make your job easier.” He remarked with a confident attitude and I scoffed. “Look, you don’t want our help, that’s fine but don’t just take off. You seem to know exactly who we are and we don’t even know your name. Give me something here.” He drawled with a keen expression and I chuckled under my breath.

“There’s not a hunter around who doesn’t know Sam and Dean Winchester.” I commented as I removed myself from his grasp and stepped out of his space with a look of disapproval. “And you don’t need to know my name. You can call me Agent Brooke if they ask any questions about who’s taking the case.” I clarified before I turned on my heel and strode to my car without a backwards glance.

I stopped back at the motel to change out of my feminine agent disguise with a tense feeling of stress. I had known that I was likely to run into the Winchester’s at some point or another, but it didn’t make the experience any less jarring. I’d been anticipating it for almost ten years whilst I worked jobs all over the country and although I’d met numerous hunters along the way, I’d somehow managed to avoid them. They were exactly how I’d expected, full of over-confidence in both their ability and charm. Enough years had gone since I ran away from my past that there was only a hint of bitterness remaining for them and I’d found that toying with them was more for my own amusement than as a result of envy. I’d grown accustomed to pushing people away and working alone so sharp, deflective humour was more of habit than anything personal.

I shook out my shoulder length purple hair and ran my fingers through it to relieve the soreness from the wig. I took a shower to clean off the taint of the act that I’d been forced to perform as an agent and changed into an old band t-shirt, black ripped jeans and a pair of black doc martin boots. I returned my black studs into the two piercings under my lips and the silver ring into my left nostril. It took some time to replace all of the ear jewellery but once I had, I started to feel like myself again. I quickly applied some black eyeliner and dark eyeshadow for my own satisfaction as a small act of rebellion against my earlier self presentation. 

I settled on the edge of the bed with my laptop to pour over the new intel that I’d received and set aside time to form a plan of action. I couldn’t concentrate properly on my task as the memory of the boys’ clueless expressions floated through my mind and after a while of battling it, I threw the laptop aside in frustration. There was a common coping mechanism amongst hunters of burying your feelings instead of dealing with them and I had depended on this unhealthy strategy for more years than I cared to acknowledge. The act of finally matching faces to the all too familiar Winchester names had stirred up memories that I’d long been repressing and I struggled to contain the feelings that came with them. 

I felt a pang of guilt as Bobby’s voice rang in my mind, scolding me for not accepting their help. He’d always recommended teaming up where possible; he considered it a good chance to learn from other hunters' experiences and to make contacts that you could utilise in future. Fortunately for me I didn’t have to do anything Bobby’s way any more. I was an adult now, if I wanted to drink myself into a stupor and pass out in my motel room, there was no one here to scold me for doing so. It was a weak justification but as I slipped into a whisky fuelled coma, I felt relieved that I had been able to drown out the criticism.

The next few days were spent in town interviewing people close to the mysterious deaths and was pleased not to hear any mention of the boys. It seemed that they hadn’t processed their investigation any further and I convinced myself that I had successfully managed to scare them from town. This assertion allowed me to focus on preparing for the upcoming confrontation. I discovered that I was dealing with a duo of witches and planned carefully to ensure that I couldn’t be overwhelmed by them. I packed a plentiful supply of weapons and visited the home of one of the previous victims to set traps. I knew that I could lure them to revisit the scene of the crime with a few simple social arrangements to inspire jealousy and used this to ensure that the fight took place somewhere that I could control.

I waited in my car, parked in the dark street for hours for any sign of the witches' arrival and was pleased to find that they were exactly as predictable as I expected. The back door allowed me to creep into the home and I could hear them frantically searching the rooms for the next victim that I’d led them to believe would be here. I carefully approached the living room where I’d planted traps with baited breath and as I neared the door, I was startled by the loud crash of a boobytrap springing into action. My stomach lurched at the unexpected sound of a mape crying out and tiptoed closer to peek inside.

“Sam!” I recognised the panicked voice of Dean from the next room as I reached the door and was able to view Sam tangled in my trap.

Dean burst through the entrance hall in a rage as Sam struggled with one of the witches who was somewhat thrilled by the containment of her new captive. I growled under my breath as they trampled over my carefully laid plans and tried to quickly analyse the best way to take control of the rapidly escalating situation. Dean charged toward his choking brother in a manic attack before the second witch revealed herself and launched him across the room with merely a flick of her wrist. It was evident from their reactions that they had only expected one enemy and I rolled my eyes at their chaotic behaviour.

“Dean! Let him go!” Sam wheezed between pants as Dean was crushed against the wall by magic so forceful that it cracked the plaster around him. I fidgeted nervously on the spot as I realised that Sam was turning blue from oxygen deprivation and I fell into the room in a moment of impulse. The two witches had their backs to the door that I rushed through and were paying little attention to each other as they individually toyed with the boys. I entangled my fingers into the back of the tangled hair of the woman who was choking Sam and yanked her backwards toward the circle that I’d prepared earlier. The moment that Sam stumbled out of my trap, I caught his attention with a wide eyed stare.

“Pull the rug!” I ordered with a firm authority before lapsing into well memorised incantations under my breath to activate the containment. He crouched to rip the rug out from under my captive’s feet without question, revealing a freshly white painted circle on the ground. Now that the shock of my assault had passed, the witch easily fought out of my grasp and whipped around to face me with an expression of absolute outrage. I jumped back to remove myself from her reach and now that the circle was active, she was unable to cast or escape. Sam leapt to the side in a frantic bid to reach a sword on the ground and the moment that he gripped it, he rushed toward Dean with a fiery determination. The witch in the circle released an agonising scream that warned the other of his approach and I flinched as I instinctively covered my ears. Dean slammed to the ground in a wheezing heap as his assailant turned to lift Sam instead and he dropped the sword with a clatter as he scraped against the wall.

I snatched the sword in a desperate movement and dove from the room before either of them could plan to attack me. The boys were manically yelling behind me as I rushed through the house to my bag that I’d stowed at the back door. My shaking hands grabbed a pot of salt and a flare before I sprinted back to the door that I’d entered the room through originally. I dumped a shaky line of salt in the doorway before I sparked the flare and lobbed it into the room to draw attention away from Sam. 

Whilst the fighting descended into chaos, I scrambled to the entrance hall and past Dean’s crumpled form at the other end of the room. The remaining attacker was still distracted by the flare which allowed me to stalk up to her from behind and I swung the sword with as much force as I could muster. The blade neatly removed her head in a clean cut and it flew across the room with a satisfying thud. The witch in the circle howled in anguish and when I brought my attention to her, I realised that her eyes had turned completely black. I didn’t hesitate for a single moment as I grabbed the flare from the ground and tossed it into the circle. It set alight the fuel that I’d doused it in earlier and I rushed through the blessing to dispel the demon.

I leaned forward with my hands on my knees as I panted from the exertion and listened to the sounds of the witch sizzling to nothing. After a few moments of recovery, I heard Sam and Dean struggle to their feet and their heavy footprints alerted me to their approach. I straightened up to fix them with a disapproving look.

“What the hell are you two doing here?” I spat in an accusing tone and they shifted awkwardly as they viewed me. I couldn’t believe that they had ignored my direct request to leave and as I stared at their guilty faces, I felt frustration building in my chest.

“We thought you might need help.” Sam muttered in a poor excuse and I crossed my arms in annoyance as I scoffed.

“Oh yeah, thank god you guys were here to save me. I’d never have managed without you.” I drawled with a heavy sarcasm and I noticed that Dean rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. “You two are supposed to be the best hunters around and you just almost got all three of us killed!” I scolded in a raised voice and although Sam squirmed at my words, Dean only seemed to get defensive.

“Look, we messed up, alright. But what the hell kind of a hunter sets up contraptions like that?” Dean argued as he indicated to the trap that Sam had found himself tangled in. It was a method I’d used regularly for years now to ensure that I always had a back up plan if I found myself outnumbered or cornered. It was difficult to hunt without anyone to watch your back and I’d adapted to the challenge.

“The kind of hunter that works alone, not all of us charge in without a plan. I thought you’d be smarter than that with all the training you’ve had.” I confirmed as I surveyed him with dismay and immediately kicked myself for hinting how much I knew about their upbringing. I dropped my gaze to the ground to avoid his expression but from my peripheral vision I could see that he raised his brows at me whilst Sam observed us in silent interest.

“You’ve got a lot of assumptions about us for someone who claims they don’t give a shit...Faye Creed.” Dean drawled as his words tore my eyes back to his face. He smiled smugly at me as he paused to emphasise my name and I felt a lump form in my throat. My back stiffened involuntarily and I rolled my eyes at them both.

“So, you finally thought to consult Bobby. Guess you aren’t as dumb as you seem.” I sneered as I ran a hand through my hair and tried to present as unphased by their research into me. I knew that it had been foolish to hope that they would allow me to walk away without any interest but I didn’t expect to see them again once they had found the information. “Only a matter of time, took you longer than I expected though. How’d you get him to narrow it down? I don’t use his aliases any more.” I enquired with a controlled interest as I wondered what it was that had given me away. I had been careful about my choice of words in our first meeting and I expected my disguise to protect me from them as much as it did the police. The thought crossed my mind that Bobby may still be keeping tabs on me if he was aware of my FBI presentation and I pushed it away to deal with later.

“Not that many hunters with a British accent around.” Sam commented from the side with a charming smile and I shrugged in defeat. There was little I could do to hide that and it was an ongoing identifier that I wished I could remove.

“Took me longer than I want to admit to figure out that alias too, Agent Brooks.” Dean remarked and his voice drew my attention back to his intrigued smile. “Eric Brooks, Blade. That’s a pretty obscure reference, even for a comic nerd. No wonder those ID’s tipped you off.” He detailed with an obvious admiration in his tone and I felt a genuine smile escape my cool expression.

“So, what did your Nick Fury tell you about me to make you so convinced that I needed your help?” I grilled as I raised a brow at Dean with a more flirtatious interest than I intended. I couldn’t contain the playfulness that he encouraged from me despite my determination to keep them at a distance.

“Nothing. Just a name and a warning that you were bad news.” Dean confirmed with a mischievous delight in his eyes and I chuckled under my breath.

“Actually, he was remarkably tight lipped about it all. Maybe you could fill us in on how you know each other?” Sam interrogated, a warm smile attempting to cover his curiosity. I waved my arms in front of me as I stepped back slightly in defence.

“Oh I’m no snitch. That’s the old man's story to share, if he even wants to.” I deflected as I gathered my things to leave and increased the distance between us subconsciously. “Seeing as I saved your asses from your own idiocy tonight, I’ll leave you two cleanup duty.” I declared as I indicated to the remains of the witches that were spread across the room and they glanced at each other regretfully. “It’s been fun, see you around.” I crooned with an exaggerated solute as I wandered from the room.

The disgruntled complaints of them gathering the pieces of our enemies was clear even from the back of the house as I grabbed my duffel bag and I reached out to touch the door handle before I paused in place. A thoughtful sigh escaped my lips and my heartstrings pulled me back to the room they were in. I leaned carefully on the doorframe as I peered inside and cleared my throat to gain their attention.

“Could you...could you boys pass Bobby a message for me?” I asked nervously and they glanced at each other uncertainly before Sam shrugged in response. “Just tell him that I’m sorry. He’ll know what for.” I relayed and quickly turned on my heel to stomp out before they could ask any questions.


	5. 𝔖𝔨𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔬𝔫𝔰 ℑ𝔫 𝔐𝔶 ℭ𝔩𝔬𝔰𝔢𝔱

The noisy engine of the well loved car ran with a rumble as I waited patiently outside of a creepy old farm. My heart hammered with a mixture of excitement and dread, and I glanced down at my phone screen that displayed a number that I had memorised. The anticipation of this conversation had been long standing and I felt a strange sense of disbelief that the time had come. There was a slight tremble to my hands as I pressed the call button and I gulped at the nauseating sound of the dial tone. I acknowledged that this likely would be challenging, but I knew that I had to share this decision with him. I owed him that at least.

“Singer autos.” Bobby answered sharply and I felt my heart ache at the subtle difference of age in his voice. Despite all of my mental rehearsals, I still couldn’t find the words and felt myself silently hesitating.

“Hi Bobby.” I forced myself not to mutter so that he could properly hear me and I could tell from the sharp intake of breath that he recognised me immediately. It was a battle to contain the wave of emotion that crashed over me, but I maintained a careful control.

“Faye? I’ll be damned.” He breathed and although I had expected to be met with hostility, I was surprised to find that he sounded relieved. “It’s been a long time. You alright, kid?” He enquired and I smiled to myself in the small space of the car.

“I’m good, really I am.” I confirmed and I caught a small sigh as I pictured him relaxing at my assertion. I took a deep breath to prepare myself to reveal the true motivation for my out of the blue call. I knew that any initial warmth was likely to dissolve back to our overworn arguments and steeled myself for his inevitable criticism of my behaviour. “Bobby, I found him...I finally found him.” I announced with a frustrating quiver in my voice as my eyes filled with tears. There was a horrifyingly long pause as Bobby processed my statement and I could hear my heartbeat hammering in my ears as I awaited his response.

“Are you sure?” He asked in an even tone that threw me off guard and I startled in my seat. I had expected him to yell, curse or at the very least criticise me for continuing to chase a thread that he’d instructed me to drop years before. The carefully measured response felt out of character for the version of him that I recalled and I felt the uncomfortable sense that we no longer knew each other.

“I’m sure, I’m parked outside the fuckers house right now.” I growled in an aggression that escaped my calm facade and felt Bobby groan in concern.

“Faye, I know how much you want to kill this lowlife piece of shit, but don’t be stupid.” He appealed. Although this was closer to the reaction that I’d have received before, it lacked the same veracity as the scoldings that I remembered and I found myself wondering if the Winchesters had softened him over the years.

“I won’t, but I have to do this. I need it to be over.” I explained reluctantly and heard him hiss under his breath. In the momentary silence, the image of Bobby filled my mind; he stood by the phone, rubbing his forehead in frustration under the brim of his old cap and I knew that he would break into pacing soon in an attempt to prevent himself from losing control.

“Just stop for a second you damn idjit! Tell me where-”

I terminated the call and stared up at the house with a quietly seething temper. There was a substantial risk that this choice would result in my death, I knew that, but it was a price that I was willing to pay if it meant that I could remove this scourge from the world. I settled into place to wait for nightfall and kept my eyes obsessively trained on the paint chipped, rundown building with rage bubbling in my chest.

***

My head burned as I stumbled out into the refreshingly cool night air and I coughed to clear the smoke from my lungs. The sound of the flames crackling behind me were practically deafening and I battled to maintain my balance as I dragged myself toward my car. I squeezed the set of fangs tightly in my fist as I felt the world spinning around me and every part of my body throbbed in pain. I knew that I had to be close, but my vision was so blurred that it was impossible to concentrate. Without any warning, my legs gave way and I collapsed to the dirt road with a thud. I could’ve sworn that I heard voices calling out to me but I couldn't make them out as I lost myself to darkness.

My eyes gradually opened to a poorly lit room and a repetitive beeping that caused a pounding in my head. I struggled to pull myself from the heavy exhaustion that still hung over me and as my surroundings came into focus, I recognised the figure slumped asleep in a chair beside me in alarm. Dean Winchester was curled up in a position that looked entirely uncomfortable in the suffocatingly small hospital room and I glanced down at myself to discover that I was wearing a gown as I laid in the bed, connected to numerous wires. I couldn’t comprehend how I’d ended up here and the presence of Dean only made the entire situation worryingly surreal. Carefully, I lifted the covers to find a large dressing over my abdomen and winced in pain at the slight movement. There was a tube in my nostrils that provided oxygen and I noticed a burning sensation in my lungs as I gasped in surprise. Before I could make any further progress on piecing together my circumstances, Sam Winchester paused mid stride in the doorway to the room, holding a tray of coffees and a small paper bag. He halted so dramatically that he almost dropped the drinks and stared at me with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“Hey!” He gasped as he rushed into the space and threw the bag at Dean in a rude awakening that resulted in flailing limbs and cursing. “You’re awake.” Sam breathed in relief as he fell into a chair on the other side of the bed from Dean and viewed me with a warm expression that seemed entirely unwarranted. Dean bolted upright to examine me with a riveted attention and I stared between them in confusion.

“I feel like I’ve said this way too often lately but…” I paused to clear my throat as my voice came out hoarse and weak. “...what the hell are you two doing here?” I interrogated as I examined their worried demeanours with a deep feeling of bewilderment.

“Saving your life.” Dean stated with his usual overconfident attitude and I cocked a brow at him. “Bobby asked us to make sure that you didn’t get yourself killed. We pulled up just in time to find you collapsed on the ground outside a burning vamp den. Is that what you call smart hunting?” He accused with a line of questioning that he could only have learned from the master. Everything came flooding back to me at once and I frantically searched the area around me for the fangs that I remembered gripping just before I passed out. 

“Looking for these?” Sam’s voice drew my attention and I returned my gaze upward to find him holding the teeth up calmly. I reached out and he handed them to me without any hesitation. The moment that they landed in my palm I sighed in relief and my posture dropped it’s tension. “This was a personal one, huh?” Sam enquired and I stared at the teeth with an intensity that burned from my soul. I replayed the memory of the vampire’s head rolling across the floor at my feet several times in satisfaction and could easily have lost myself to the feeling of elation.

“You could say that.” I remarked in a vague fashion as I forced my focus away from the fangs and placed them carefully on the bedside table. 

“What were you thinking, going into a vamp den alone like that? You could have been killed!” Dean lectured in a manner not dissimilar to that which teachers had always addressed me in school and I met his eyes with a building feeling of aggravation.

“But I didn’t die and the vamps did. Mission accomplished.” I stated coldly with my well ingrained teenage attitude and he scoffed in obvious frustration.

“Only because we drove you to a hospital. What would have happened otherwise? You’d have either bled or burned to death, some plan!” He exclaimed as he utilised my own previous scoldings of their poor performance against me and my face contorted into a frown at his indignant attitude.

“What do you care? You don’t even know me, don’t act like you’re invested in my methods. I’ll do my jobs however I see fit, Winchester.” I argued with my voice containing a level of spite that was completely unintentional and Dean threw his hands up in exasperation.

“I care because another dead hunter is no good to anyone!” He snapped and I couldn’t contain a flinch as his voice raised. I dropped my gaze to my lap to avoid his scrutiny and he sighed in an effort to calm himself. “I’m gonna call Bobby, let him know that she didn’t die.” He spoke directly at Sam as he stormed from the room and I maintained my avoidant position with my arms crossed defensively. Once we were alone, Sam cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Sorry about that, he was just worried. I know he can get kinda condescending sometimes, but he has good intentions, you know.” Sam explained with an understanding smile and I sighed thoughtfully.

“It’s okay, it happens to the best of us. It’s a long term side effect of growing up around Bobby.” I mumbled and felt an immediate pang of regret at my accidental slip of information. I hoped that he wouldn’t notice it, but he obviously perked up in interest and I felt dread pooling in my stomach as I wracked my brain for an excuse.

“You grew up around Bobby too?” He enquired and I hissed with annoyance at my mistake. In my mind, the less these boys knew about me, the better and thus far everytime that we had met, I seemed to accidentally stoke their interest in me.

“I really don’t wanna talk about it.” I groaned and although he seemed disappointed by this, he accepted it without argument. I was impressed by his understanding of my privacy and we sat in tense silence for a few moments whilst I mentally prayed that he would leave.

“Look, I don’t know what happened between the two of you and I won't pry but...it’s obvious that Bobby still cares about you. I know it would mean a lot to him if you visited.” Sam spoke in a careful manner and I fiddled with my hands in a gesture of stress. “Are you gonna be okay on your own?” He asked with an evident worry remaining behind his words and I nodded fervently. He smiled warmly at me as he stood and grabbed his things to leave. My mind raced with things to say and although I willed myself to simply allow him to leave without mending our strained interactions, the desire to not be an awful person overwhelmed my bitterness.

“Sam?” I called as he reached the door and he glanced back at me over his shoulder. “Thank you...for saving me. I do appreciate it.” I admitted with a painful reluctance and he chuckled under his breath.

“Don’t mention it. And don’t worry, I’ll let Dean know too.” He winked mischievously before disappearing from sight. 

***

Weeks had passed since I discharged myself from the hospital and Sam’s words had played havoc in my mind almost constantly since. I’d kept the phone that I called Bobby from switched off so that I couldn’t see the missed calls that I inevitably knew would be there and was thankful not to have had any further run- ins with the boys in the meantime. Although I felt a huge weight lifted by the destruction of the vampire that I had hunted for almost half of my life, I knew that I couldn’t fully consider the skeletons in my closet resolved until I had confronted the one mistake that required a face to face conversation. I could hardly concentrate on the road as I drove to what felt like my ultimate demise and was glad that my last job had been in Iowa, leaving me with a relatively short journey to my destination.

The car grumbled to a stop in the hauntingly familiar drive and felt my hands shaking as I gripped the steering wheel tightly. As I exited the car, I knocked a stack of comic books off the passenger seat in my fluster and cursed under my breath. Amongst the collection of vehicles that lined the drive, I was glad that the statement Impala seemed to be absent as I approached the door with butterflies filling my stomach. I knocked on the paint peeled wood and held my breath as I waited for an answer. There was a barrage of heavy stomping and cursing from inside as I hesitated on the porch with my heart hammering in my chest. When the door finally swung open, the passage of time slapped me in the face and I forced myself to smile through my shock.

“Hi.” I whispered as I stared up at the colour drained face of Bobby Singer and tried to convince myself that I wasn’t about to have a heart attack. The silence that hung around us was practically suffocating and I wracked my brain for something to say that could lighten the mood. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could manage it, Bobby suddenly pulled me into an embrace. He smelt familiarly like whisky and motor oil, and I was struck with a pang of nostalgia as I returned the hug appreciatively. After a few minutes of gripping me, he sniffed back tears in an effort to disguise them and stepped back to examine me.

“The wanderer returns.” He commented as he scanned me from head to toe and I smiled awkwardly under his father like scrutiny. “What did I say about blending in? This is…” He broke off as he gestured to my entire appearance and sighed in disappointment. “...well, exactly what I’d expect from you.” He finished in a scolding tone but I could easily recognise the hint of a fond smile in the corner of his lips. “Well, don’t just stand there, come inside.” He ordered as he wandered into the house and I followed obediently.

I was shocked to discover that everything was almost exactly as I remembered and although this provided a warm feeling of returning home at last, I also felt a pang of sadness for him. The house continued to exist as some kind of shrine to his late wife and the only thing that was different was Bobby himself. There were wrinkles around his eyes, and especially his forehead, from excessive frowning that had barely begun to show when I saw him last and I was immediately regretful that I had waited so long to return. He led me into the still pale green kitchen and rustled around in the cupboards whilst I absorbed the sensation of safety that the room radiated. He grabbed a bottle and two glasses, and took a seat at the table as he indicated for me to join him.

“Don’t have to worry about you stealing my whisky any longer, you’re a legal adult now.” He stated with a smirk as he poured out the glasses and I found my usual place opposite him at the table. “Don’t have anything softer I’m afraid, haven’t bought any of those fancy British tea bags since you…” He stopped mid flow and cleared his throat. I glanced around at the room that contained some of my best and worst memories and considered my words carefully. 

“I’m sorry.” I mumbled as I fidgeted with my hands and his eyes widened at me. “I shouldn’t have run away, it was childish and stupid. I wasn’t your daughter to raise and I shouldn’t have demanded that from you. You didn’t deserve what I put you through.” I confessed with a gathering of tears in my eyes and Bobby observed me with an awestruck expression.

“You were a teenager, being childish is par for the course.” He remarked with a clear understanding and I was shocked by the calm, controlled manner that was entirely unfamiliar on him. “But...why didn't you just come home? It’s been nearly ten years, Faye. I’ve done what I can to keep tabs on you, but you’re almost impossible to track. My own darn fault for training you so well.” He chuckled bitterly on his last statement and I sighed.

“I don’t know. At first, I guess it was pride. Then, the longer I was out there...it just became harder to think about facing you.” I explained with remorse filling my face and he nodded patiently.

“I’m sorry too.” He breathed and I blanched. I had never known Bobby to apologise so easily and I certainly couldn’t think of any reason for him to do so now. “I wasn’t ready for the responsibility of training you, much less being your guardian. I couldn’t admit it at the time, but I was still trying to bury my grief, not deal with it and having a fourteen year old with an attitude problem thrown into the mix was more than I could handle.” I was blown away by the honesty of his words and it was clear to me how much he had developed in the years that we had been apart.

“I didn’t exactly make it easy for you.” I commented and he chuckled in agreement.

“You lost your parents and then were handed over to some random hunter you’d never met to finish your training. You were treated like a dog being rehomed, you had every right to be angry.” He empathised and I smiled at him with tears in my eyes. “I should’ve told you the truth from the beginning. I was more than just a friend of your mothers, I loved her. We were together before she met your dad and even after we split, she was always an important part of my life. Having you here, looking almost exactly like her, just after I found out she’d died and that she’d left you to me without ever discussing it...it was challenging.” He revealed and although I felt my brows shoot up in surprise, some part of me was simply relieved that he had finally decided to confide in me. 

“I knew that if you were mine, if your mother and I had stayed together and we’d had you, you would’ve never been raised the way that you were. I would never have allowed Katie to breed you to be a hunter, but by the time you reached me, the damage was already done. I took that frustration with her out on you and that wasn’t fair on you. I’m sorry that I drove you away, kid.” Bobby’s face was filled with emotion as he spoke and I understood that he needed to have this conversation as much as I did. We had both held onto our feelings for years too long and it was a relief to finally free them.

“I always suspected it was more than friendship.” I admitted and he sighed deeply at this confirmation. “You did your best. You put a roof over my head, fed me, clothed me and trained me to keep myself alive. Bobby, you did right by me.” I advised and he quickly wiped away a tear before it could be noticed. “I should never have asked you to choose between me and the Winchester’s. I know how important they were to you and it was unreasonable. I hate to say it, but those boys turned out pretty well. Looks like I can even credit them with straightening you out, even if they did turn you into a total old man.” I teased with a smirk and he sniggered.

“Don’t get too big for your boots there, donut.” He warned and I smiled at the nostalgic nickname that I had long forgotten. “You left quite the impression on those boys, you know. You work some hoodoo shit on them?” He commented as he sipped at his glass of whisky and I snorted in laughter at his accusation.

“No, actually I was kind of a cold bitch. I think there might be something wrong with them, proper gluttons for punishment.” I remarked, earning a fond smile from him. “Where are the giants anyway?” I enquired as I peeked into the library for any sign of them potentially listening in to our conversation.

“They’re out on a job in Washington, won’t be back for at least a couple of days if you want to stay.” He offered and I breathed a sigh of relief. After our last encounter I was pleased that I wouldn’t have to deal with a second awkward conversation today and I enjoyed the idea of spending some time with Bobby.

“Speaking of the boys, how did you know where to send them to find me? I didn’t tell anyone where I was going.” I questioned with furrowed brows and he rolled his eyes at me. This had been bothering me since I first woke in the hospital and I couldn’t comprehend how he’d been able to break through my careful planning.

“You left your damn GPS on, you idjit.” He confirmed and I hissed in annoyance at my past self. “Yeah, rookie mistake, not like you either. But I guess that’s what happens when it's a case that you have more heart than head in.” He added with a sympathetic tone and I nodded in agreement.

“Well, either way, it’s done now.” I stated as I fidgeted around to reach my pocket and grabbed the item that I had been saving to reveal to him. “Mum and dad can finally rest knowing that their killer’s gone. It’s over.” I breathed as I dropped the fangs onto the table and Bobby stared at them with a heavy sense of malice. He snatched them from the surface and began to stride from the room purposefully.

“Come on, bring the bottle.” He called over his shoulder and I clumsily grabbed the bottle of whisky as I rushed to follow his lead.

We arrived in the garage, which was easily the space that I had spent the largest portion of my time living here residing in. He rustled around in a crazed effort to gather supplies of some sort and once he had finished his preparations, he waved me over to join him. I found the fangs lying on a sturdy surface with a selection of hammers and he presented them with an impressive flourish.

“Would you like to do the honours?” He offered and I smiled widely at his deviant mind. I took a long swig straight from the bottle and approached the table. We spent some considerable time drinking whisky and smashing the teeth into powder in the one of the strangest bonding activities that I’d ever experienced, which is a lot when I considered the bonkers upbringing that I’d known. As we reached the point of destruction that left nothing to hit, Bobby threw an arm around my shoulders in a half hug, half head lock. “I’m glad you’re home, kid.”

The next couple of days passed in a blur of shooting ranges, alcohol fuelled reminiscing over the good times and trashy tv. I gave my best effort to cook something resembling actual meals from the measly contents of Bobby’s cupboards and for the first time in years, I felt a sense of continent that was wholly unfamiliar.

By the third morning I knew that it was time to leave, as I knew the boys would likely return soon. Bobby had thoroughly stocked my car with new weapons, supplies and a set of numbers to call for any verification that I needed. I noticed that he now had a full set of phones in the kitchen labelled with each agency that he could answer as and was impressed with the efficiency of his system nowadays. As we walked to the car, I could sense a sadness in Bobby that I felt in my own chest as I left the last place that I considered to be home. As his attention landed on the Jeep, he chuckled with a bitter amusement.

“I can’t believe you had the gall to steal my favourite project.” He stated accusingly and I faced him with a guilty shrug.

“I didn’t steal it, I borrowed it.” I excused with a poorly attempted innocent tone and he scoffed.

“Does that mean I’m gonna get it back at some point?” He suggested and I shook my head with a smug expression. “That thing is practically an antique. You sure you don’t want me to check it over before you go?” He probed and I smiled fondly at him.

“It’s fine Bobby, that relic is my pride and joy. I know how to take care of a car, I learned from the best.” I commented as I slapped him playfully on the arm and his face was the picture of pride.

“You don’t have to go you know, there’s always space for you here.” He offered and I felt a tug at my heartstrings as I glanced back up at the house that contained numerous treasured memories for me. I returned my gaze to Bobby with sadness in my eyes.

“I know, thank you. But I can’t just crash at my crazy Uncle’s forever. Like you said, I’m a wanderer, my place is on the road.” I asserted and he shook his head with amusement at the term of endearment. “Don’t worry, I know how to keep out of trouble. I’ll call you if I ever need help and I promise to visit more often than once a decade this time.” I teased and he smiled appreciatively. “You look after those boys of yours.” I added as I flashed him one final smile.

Bobby watched me climb into the car and as I drove away from the house, I felt like a completely new person. 


	6. 𝔉𝔞𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔶 𝔇𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔢𝔯

It was a struggle to keep myself awake behind the steering wheel, as I travelled down endless dark country roads and although I had my music blaring and windows open, I could feel my eyes slipping closed via long blinks. I jolted in the driver's seat and cursed under my breath. My attention was drawn to a sign for a nearby diner and without deliberating any further, I turned into their parking with a bitter defeat. As I glanced into the rearview mirror, I was shocked by the exhaustion in my eyes and quickly attempted to neaten myself up before I stepped out of the vehicle.

I slumped into one of the sticky diner booths in relief and dropped a comic book onto the table out of habit. A cheerful older woman rushed over to take my order almost immediately and I was thankful for the teabags that I carried in my bag at all times when she provided a mug of hot water to tide me over until the food arrived. It had been weeks since I visited Bobby and I’d been on the road working cases almost consistently since. I felt so refreshed by making peace with him that I’d thrown myself into work and only now that I had stopped did I begin to realise that I’d likely overworked myself in my enthusiasm. 

The sound of movement at the edge of the booth caused me to startle so hard that I crashed my knees on the underside of the table, but I was unable to leave as the hulking figures of Sam and Dean Winchester blocked me in. Sam slid into the seat beside me whilst Dean dropped into place across the table, and I peered between them in disbelief.

“You know, we’ve really gotta stop bumping into each other like this.” Dean crooned as he met my eyes with a playful smirk and it was obvious from the excited glitter in his eyes that he was thrilled to have found me. I could hardly believe what I was seeing and after a few blinks to check that I wasn’t hallucinating, I sighed at him.

“Are you guys stalking me now?” I blurted, shifting nervously to add some distance between Sam and I, much to the brothers offence. “I managed to avoid you for a literal decade and now I’m seeing you everywhere.” I questioned with a lilt of amusement in my voice as I flicked my attention between them and waited for an explanation that would stop me feeling as if I were about to be kidnapped at any moment.

“Saw your Jeep outside.” Sam confirmed gently, his demeanour as if he were managing a startled animal that might scarper at any moment and I nodded my head at him with a smile to indicate that I was messing with him. His shoulders visibly relaxed at this and I quickly noticed that he was the more compassionate of the two.

“I’d recognise that beat up old piece of crap anywhere.” Dean added tauntingly, only further confirming my theory and I squinted at him with a brow raised in interest. “I helped Bobby to work on that antique one summer. We spent months taking the entire thing apart. Always wondered where it went.” He revealed, his gaze becoming misty as he lost himself to memories and I hummed thoughtfully. It hadn’t ever crossed my mind that there would be times where we almost crossed paths at Bobby’s and I was curious how many times we had barely missed each other in that cramped little house.

“Well. Now you know.” I commented as I fidgeted with my hands nervously and tried to concentrate on keeping my bitter attitude from rearing its ugly head again. Since my heart to heart with Bobby, my emotions were far better controlled but I still anticipated the occasional rogue comment slipping out and after my previous interactions with the Winchesters I was keen to keep things civil this time. “Don’t worry. I keep her in very well maintained condition.” I winked at Dean as I spoke and his eyes widened slightly in alarm, as if the very concept of me working on the old Jeep made him uncomfortable.

“Really?” He breathed and I quickly realised that it wasn’t concern, but rather riveted interest that filled his face. “You know your way around a car?” He questioned in a deep voice that made a subtle shiver run down my back and from the corner of my eye, I noticed Sam observing us with a smug smile on his lips.

“You weren’t the only one who spent their summers at Singer Autos.” I taunted as his brows shot up and he viewed me with fascination. Even without looking at him, I could sense the subtle excitement in Sam’s body language and I suspected that this small fact about me was significant to Dean, even if I couldn’t be sure of the reason. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I considered my next words carefully and the niggling feeling in my stomach urged me to clear the air. 

“Look, guys. I know that the last few times we’ve met I was kinda a bitch and it really wasn’t deserved on your part. I’m well practiced at scaring people off and it can be hard to shut that off, especially with some of the shit in my past that I…” I stumbled over my thoughts, struggling to balance the delicate line between explanation myself and divulging more information than I was comfortable with. “I don’t really wanna get into all that. What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry and I know you don’t ever get a second chance at a first impression, but if we could just start over, that would be great.” I spoke with my gaze set on my hands to avoid their reactions and held my breath as I awaited their judgement. Instead, we were interrupted by the arrival of the waitress as she clattered plates down in front of the boys.

“I assume y’all want your food together with little Miss here?” She chirped as they both smiled at her gratefully. “I’ll just be right out with your plate, Sugar.” She smiled at me as she rushed off, bustling away with an enthusiasm that eased the tension between us. Dean glanced over to me as he grabbed a fry from Sam’s plate with a mischievous look and I was glad to find that he seemed strangely relaxed despite the heavy topic of conversation.

“What’d you order, a salad?” He teased as he glanced down at my petite figure with a significant look and I scoffed at him in disapproval, insulted by his assumption.

“Pfft. Bitch, please.” I scoffed as the waitress returned to drop a large burger with multiple sides in front of me and Dean furrowed his brow in confusion, seeming as if he expected there to have been a mix up. Sam quickly passed some cutlery from the pot beside him, which I promptly ignored as I lifted the burger to take a heart bite with an evident satisfaction.

“Well, shit. I love a girl that can eat.” Dean praised with his brows raised in shock, whilst Sam chuckled in an impressed manner beside me.

“What are you doing here anyway? Got a job in town or you just passing through?” Sam asked casually as I practically attacked the food in front of me and Dean snorted in laughter at my lack of table manners. I’d been surviving the past few weeks on mostly road snacks and the occasional trashy take out, and this was the first proper meal that I’d had in a while. Although I wasn’t the most feminine woman, I was at least well mannered enough to not speak with my mouth full and chewed quickly on my overstuffed cheeks as the boys viewed me with amusement.

“I was actually looking for somewhere to crash for the night whilst I look for new leads. Just finished a job in Missouri, so I’m actually on some free time right now.” I replied as I fell into light conversation that felt strangely natural with them and I was intrigued by how easy the atmosphere felt. “What about you?” I investigated as I returned to eating and noticed that Dean still had a hint of admiration in his eyes at the revelation that I did not, in fact, order a salad.

“We’re on our way to Nebraska for a case. We got some info passed on by a hunter friend.” Sam confirmed in an even tone and I shrugged at his wording. Of course, I knew other hunters. It was impossible to have spent as long doing the job as I had without bumping into anyone, but I considered them contacts rather than friends. The very concept of hunter friends was bizarre to me and just another minor detail that demonstrated how different our methods were. “We’re staying at a motel just a few minutes away, if you want us to lead you there? You look like you could use some sleep.” He added, his voice revealing a hint of concern as he examined me and I sighed.

“You know what, that would be great.” I conceded, finally admitting to myself that I didn’t have the energy to trawl the area for somewhere at least reasonably decent and Sam smiled in relief. We finished the rest of the meal between casual conversation and I covered the cost as an apology, despite their protests. I felt refreshed by their company as I stepped out into the cool night air and although I was more awake than I had been when I arrived, I still felt a sense of apprehension as I gazed over at my car.

“Hey. If you’re as beat as you look, you can catch a ride with us. We’ll bring you back in the morning to pick up your car.” Dean offered with a considerate smile and I was too exhausted to fight him. 

Instead, I simply grabbed my holdall from the boot of the Jeep and followed them to their signature Impala with a slight lurch in my stomach. I was sure that it would have felt substantially more strange to get into their car if I wasn’t so desperate to reach a bed, but for the time being I could feel little other than the relief that I didn’t have to drive in my current state. My blinks became long and indulgent as I relaxed in the back seats and there was a safe atmosphere in the small space of the car that I didn’t recognise. 

There was an unusual comfort in knowing that I wasn’t alone and I acknowledged that despite my previously ill held opinions of them, I felt able to rely on the Winchester’s. I couldn’t put my finger on the cause of this, whether it was their protective attitude, easy humour or the concern in their eyes that I’d noticed that they tried to disguise. They had an easily trustworthy nature about them and this discovery had caught me completely off guard.

The car slowed to a gentle stop and I felt a hand shake my knee as I stirred. I jolted awake to find Sam smiling warmly at me from the passenger seat and realised that I had drifted off in their car.

“It’s a good job that you didn’t try to drive, Faye. You barely made it a few minutes into the journey.” Sam muttered in a kind manner and I shuffled awkwardly as I gathered myself, feeling embarrassed that I’d fallen asleep as easily as a baby in a car seat. I stepped out of the vehicle to find Dean glancing over his shoulder at me with amusement.

“Hope you didn’t drool on the seats.” He commented with a smirk and I pouted at him bitterly, unprepared to weather his humour when I was this drained of energy.

“Nah, I just licked your headrest.” I teased, unable to produce a better response in my current state and he raised a brow at me suggestively. 

“Kinky.” He breathed as I rolled my eyes at him and shook off his constant innuendos. I hadn’t even noticed Sam’s absence until he jogged back over to us with a hand outstretched to me.

“Room opposite ours was free.” He stated casually as he dropped a key into my waiting hand and I examined him suspiciously. “We’re in the area to investigate a monster, remember? It’s probably a good idea to stay close.” He shrugged innocently and I nodded in defeat as he started toward the motel entrance. Though his explanation was sound, it felt surreal to have them behaving as if I required their constant attention and I was unsure if they were truly acting strangely, or I’d become so accustomed to being alone that I’d forgotten how people would usually behave around friends. 

“Yeah, we’re right across the hall. So, just scream if you need...anything.” Dean drawled, placing a particular emphasis on the final word as he pouted slightly and I gasped, before punching him on the arm with considerably more force this time.

“Knock it off, Casanova.” I groaned as he huffed in disappointment and left me unsure how to interpret his intense behaviour. 

I was incredibly relieved to reach my room and said a rushed goodnight to the boys, as I was keen to close the door before Dean could invite himself inside. I had never prepared for bed at such a speed in my life and practically crashed into the pillows face first to plummet straight to sleep. 

I didn’t stir or even dream throughout the night and the next thing that I heard was a repetitive, insistent banging on the door. I leapt up to find daylight peeking in through the moth-eaten curtains and could easily tell that it was too early for me to be awake.

The pounding continued as I stumbled my way out of bed, almost knocking my glasses from the bedside table in my strain to put them on and snatched up my gun as I padded over in my pajamas. I held the pistol up as I unlocked the door and it swung open to reveal Dean, who held his hands up in mock surrender.

“Jesus, Dean. I almost shot you!” I gasped as I placed the weapon back on the nearest surface shakily and ran my fingers through my morning hair in an effort to calm down. “What time is it?” I asked as I struggled to suppress a yawn and noticed that the sun still seemed insultingly low in the sky behind him. 

“8’o’clock.” He replied in a frustratingly chirpy tone and I caught his eyes exploring my half dressed state in a barely contained exhilaration.

“Something had better be on fire, or the world best be ending for you to be at my door at 8am.” I groaned as he chuckled lightly and rubbed at my eyes in an attempt to remove the sleep from them. I shuffled slightly on the spot as I realised just how little I was wearing, but was determined not to allow my discomfort to show and held my ground even in the face of Dean’s blatant surveying of my figure.

“I was gonna ask if you wanted a lift to pick up your car, but clearly you’re not an early bird.” He commented with a smirk and I crossed my arms at him as I noticed his gaze drifting downward again. “Sammy and I are heading out to chase a lead. We’ll swing by to pick you up later. I’d appreciate it if you could not shoot me again then.” He crooned with a final glance up and down at me before he strode off.

I closed the door and immediately covered my face in embarrassment. When I first woke, I’d been so disorientated that I forgot the boys were even here, otherwise I’d definitely have taken the time to cover myself before answering the door. As I removed my hands from my hot cheeks, my attention landed on a full length mirror where I stared back at my reflection in horror. 

My old, oversized band shirt had bunched up on one side in my sleep, giving a clear view to my lacy black panties and plenty of my stomach was also exposed. My legs were bare and I’d accidentally revealed the large tattoo on my thigh that I realised had probably been the detail that had drawn Dean’s attention lower. The fuzzy bedhead and glasses were an interesting combination and it was obvious that I’d slept in my makeup. I audibly groaned at the state of myself before I crawled into bed to hide.

By the time that Dean knocked on my door again, I had ensured that I was as flawless as possible and packed to leave. He stood just outside of the threshold with a brown paper bag held up in front of him and a dazzling smile on his face.

“Peace offering, for your rude awakening.” He commented as he handed the bag to me and I took it from him with a deep suspicion in my face. I noticed that he seized the chance to check me out again and was clearly pleased with the outfit that I’d carefully chosen to seem as if it were careless, but I secretly knew that it flaunted my figure. If I was going to be caught off guard like I had been earlier, I needed to feel in control of how I presented myself after and I always felt more powerful when I felt that I looked good. I unrolled the top of the bag and gasped involuntarily.

“Oh, dude...donuts?” I breathed with a keen appreciation as I stared at him with awe and he chuckled heartily at my blatant adoration.

“They’re breakfast. We should make a move.” He stated with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he moved away from the door and I followed him to the car. I paused as he neared the vehicle and glanced over my shoulder at reception, realising that I had missed a key step. “I already settled your bill this morning when we checked out. Toss your stuff in the car and I’ll take the key back.” He offered as he held out his hand and I threw the key to him in disbelief, knowing well that arguing with him would be a waste of both our time. I loaded my holdall on the backseats as instructed and slid into the passenger seat. 

Dean was still out of sight once I had gotten comfortable, so I took a moment to hide a small wedge of cash in the glovebox to cover the cost of my room. As I opened the bag containing my all time favourite snack, he dropped into the driver's seat and peaked over just in time to catch me taking a large bite of the donut with intense satisfaction. I made an involuntary moan of enjoyment and Dean sniggered at me in delight.

“So, it’s true. The key to your heart is donuts.” He smirked as I swallowed my food and turned to face him with an expression of distrust. For a moment, I couldn’t imagine how he could possibly have known such a personal detail about me, before understanding dawned on me and I kicked myself for my idiocy.

“Bobby told you!” I accused in a frustrated gasp and he nodded confidently in confirmation. “Betrayed by my own kin! Now you know my kryptonite.” I exclaimed dramatically whilst he started the car's engine and seemed to be thrilled by our shared sense of humour. 

“It’s a solid choice, but I’ve gotta know something.” He began as we drifted out of the motel car park and onto the road smoothly. I cocked a brow at him suspiciously, which was far less intimidating with cheeks full of pastry and hoped that he was not about to burden me with an invasive question now that he’d started weaning details out of Bobby somehow. “How do you have that sneaky rockin’ body  _ and _ a soft spot for donuts?” He drawled with a momentary glance at me and I had to cover my mouth to suppress a laugh.

“So you  _ were _ looking. You’re every bit as bad as your reputation, Dean.” I teased as I thinned my eyes at him and he visibly cringed at my words. “Before you ask, I’m not one of those people who jogs, or swears by green tea, or any shit like that. I’m just a hunter. I work out the same way as you, fighting for my life. You do that enough and you can burn off any amount of junk food.” I elaborated with a flourish and he shrugged in acceptance, before seeming to remember something. 

“Every now and then, Sam has these health kicks. He gets up obnoxiously early and goes jogging.” Dean stated with a clear look of disgust that matched mine and I couldn’t think of a worse way to spend my time.

“Ew. Why haven’t you killed him yet? Put him out of his misery?” I hissed, earning a gruff laugh from him and I realised that the softer of the duo was absent. “Where is Sam, anyway? Pretty sure I stole his spot.” I enquired as I continued to eat my breakfast with childish delight.

“He wants to investigate a lead. I’m taking the other once I drop you off.” He explained with a clear disinterest and I nodded in understanding. “Unless you wanted to hang around? We could always use an extra hunter on the case.” He suggested, glancing over at me hopefully and I cleared my throat as I avoided meeting his eyes.

“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.” I stated calmly and I noticed that he sighed in disappointment. “Honestly, I think I’ve kinda overdone recently. Think I’m gonna take a few weeks to recoup. Maybe even head to the coast.” I added thoughtfully and he hummed quietly.

“Sounds nice.” He muttered, a far off expression filling his chiseled, handsome features and I could tell that he was considering this idea.

“You boys ever take time off?” I grilled, sensing that this comment had intrigued him and he simply shook his head at me. “Hunting is a hardcore job. It takes everything you have and more. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned since I’ve been out here on my own, it’s that you owe yourself the chance to take a break.” I expressed, trying my best not to sound like I was delivering a lecture and he fixed me with a look of disbelief.

“I can’t just take a break, Faye. There’s bad shit out there waiting for me to kill it.” He stated firmly and I examined him closely. I recognised a familiar state of tension that I had been ruled by myself years ago and wondered if we were more alike than I had first realised.

“You know, there was a time when I thought I had to save the entire world too.” I divulged calmly and I could sense his displeasure at this conversation. “But sometimes, you need to think about yourself. You have needs too, Dean.” I advised with a light smile and he sighed deeply at my words.

The car rolled to a halt and I recognised the familiar car park of the diner from the night before. I was pleased to see that my Jeep was safely parked still and turned back to Dean with a warm smile.

“Thanks for everything. I really do appreciate you boys taking the time to help me out, again.” I remarked earnestly and he nodded silently in return. “And hey. Think about what I said. If you ever fancy a break, you have my number. I know the best places to cut loose.” I added with a wink, before I stood to exit the car and left him to his thoughts.


End file.
